Car-axle box.



No. 767,360. PATENTED AUG. 9, 1904. J. W. STEPHENSON.

GAR AXLE BOX.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 6. 1902. RENEWED MAR. 1. 1904.

110 MODEL. 3 sums-sun: 1.

WITNESSES v mvsmo %mm W. M "/3 No. 767,360. PATENTED AUG..9, 1904.

l J. W. STEPHENSON.

CAR AXLE BOX.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 6. 1902. RENEWED MAR. II 1904.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR PATENTED AUG. 9, 1904.

W. STEPHENSON.

CAR AXLE BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 6. 1902. RENEWED MAB. 1. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

WETNESSES INVENTOR UNITED STATES Patented August 9, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. STEPHENSON, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MALLEABLECASTINGS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CAR-AXLE BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,360, dated August9, 1904. Application filed December 6, 1902. Renewed March 1, 1904.Serial No. 196,101- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. STEPHENSON, of Toledo, Lucas county, Ohio,have invented a new and useful Oar-Axle Box, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a longitudinal section of the upper half of an axle-boxconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a verticalcross-section on the line II II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view, on asmaller scale, similar to Fig. 2, showing a modification. Fig. 4 is alongitudinal section of the wedge and a portion of the box on the lineIV IV of Fig. 8. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section on the samescale as Fig. 1, showing a modified construction. Fig. 6 is an end Viewshowing half the box in cross-section on the line VI VI of Fig. 5. Fig.7 is a top plan view of the wedge shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

My invention is an improvement on the axle-box construction claimed inLetters Patent No. 692,086, granted to me on January 28, 1902. In thatpatent I claimed the combination of a journal-box, a wedge, one of whichparts has a projection bearing upon the other and constituting auniversal rocking bearing, and a journal-brass.

My present invention has for its purpose to improve the rocking andself-adjusting action of the wedge; and it consists in forming the sidesof the wedge adjacent to the box rounded in a vertical direction, eitherconcave or convex, and the meeting sides of the box in counterparttherewith. Entire freedom of adjustment of the wedge is thus afforded.Vertical bearing of the load upon the center of the caraxle ismaintained, and the binding of the bearings upon the journals and unevenwear and heating of the parts are prevented.

It also consists in making the rocking bearing between the wedge and thebox of a separate piece interposed between the top of the box and thewedge and bearing directly on the wedge rounded on one side and having asliding bearing on the other side. This affords not only a rockingadjustment, but also a sliding adjustment sufficient to prevent grindingor uneven Wear on the rounded bearing-surfaces.

As stated in the specification of my said patent, 2 represents the axleof a car.

3 is the journal-box.

4 is the brass or journal-bearing, which may be of ordinaryconstruction,and 5 is the wedge which is interposed between the top ofthe box and the brass. This wedge instead of having a flat bearingagainst the box, as heretofore, has a universal rocking bearingconstituted by a convex protuberance 6 on the wedge fitting a concaveseat 7 on the box, or the convexity may be on the box and the concavityon the wedge. Ifnow the Wedge should fit the box or the brass unevenly,instead of causing the brass to bind upon the journal of the axle thewedge will adjust itself on the rocking bearing constituted as justdescribed, so as to produce accurate parallelism between the brass andthe journal, and thus transmit the load to the axle centrally andprevent heating and wear. The sides of the wedge adjacent to the sidesof the journal-box are convex in a vertical direction, as at 8, and theadjacent surfaces of the box are concave, as at 9, so that straightsurfaces at these places being dispensed with the friction is reduced toa minimum and the wedge will readily adjust itself. desired, theconcavities may be on the wedge and the convexities on the sides of thebox, and other modifications may be made by the skilled mechanic. Theprotuberance 6, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, is constituted by aseparate piece, which in Figs. 1 and 2 has on its top a rounded surface6, bearing against a counterpart surface on the under side of the top ofthe box and on the under side is flat and bears on a flat seat 0 on topof the wedge, which seat is somewhat larger than the piece 6, so thatthe latter may slide thereon preferably in every direction, and may thusprevent the tendency of the rounded bearing-surfaces to shift or becomeworn unevenly by grinding. In Figs. 3 and i I show the rounded bearing 6on the under side of the piece 6 and the flat bearing 0' on the upperside. In either case the effect is the same.

The location of the piece 6 directly between the wedge and the undersurface of the top of the box is important, because it is thus removedas far as possible from the axle and its efficiency as a rocking bearingis greatly increased.

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 the protuberance 6 is integral with the wedge, andthe advantages of the sliding bearing 0', last mentioned, are notobtained.

I claim 1. In a journal-box a wedge having vertically-roel ing bearingsbetween the sides of the wedge and the sides of the box; substantiallyas described.

2. In a journal-box, a wedge having vertically-rocking bearings betweenthe sides of the wedge and the sides of the box, and a rocking bearingbetween the top of the wedge and the box; substantially as described.

3. In a journal-box, a wedge having vertically-rocking bearings betweenthe sides of the wedge and the sides of the box, and a universal rockingbearing between the top of the wedge and the box, said latter bearingbeing constituted by a separate piece rounded on one side and having asliding face on the other side; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand November 28, 1902.

JOHN IV. STEPHENSON.

WVitnesses:

J. LANE, J. WV. LYONS.

